SEHS Test Chapter B.1.2 Structure and function of connective tissues and joint Flashcards
(19 cards)
What are connective tissues?
Connective tissues are specialised tissues in the body that support, connect, and separate various structures and organs. The main types include ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Ligaments connect bone to bone and play a crucial role in stabilising joints during movement. Tendons attach muscle to bone and enable movement by transmitting the force produced when muscles contract. Cartilage acts as a cushion between bones, reducing friction and absorbing impact to protect joints. These tissues are strong and flexible, making them essential for maintaining joint stability, supporting movement, and preventing injury during physical activity.
Discuss synovial joints
Synovial joints are the most common and freely movable type of joint in the human body. They are found in key areas such as the knees, elbows, shoulders, and hips, where a wide range of motion is required. These joints are enclosed in a joint capsule that contains synovial fluid, which lubricates the joint to reduce friction and allow smooth movement. Cartilage covers the ends of the bones, acting as a cushion to absorb impact, while ligaments provide stability and support by connecting bones together. Synovial joints enable movements such as bending, rotating, and stretching, making them essential for performing everyday tasks and participating in sports and physical activities.
What are joints?
Joints are the locations where two or more bones meet, playing a vital role in enabling movement and providing structural support to the body. There are three main types of joints: fibrous, cartilaginous, and synovial. Fibrous joints are immovable and provide strength and protection, such as the sutures in the skull. Cartilaginous joints allow limited movement and are found between the vertebrae, where they help absorb shock and maintain flexibility in the spine. Synovial joints are the most movable type, found in areas like the knee, shoulder, and elbow, and are essential for performing a wide range of physical activities. Joints are crucial for mobility, flexibility, and keeping the skeleton connected and functional.
What are ligaments?
Ligaments are tough, fibrous connective tissues that connect bone to bone at joints, playing a key role in maintaining joint stability. They help control and limit the range of movement, preventing excessive or harmful motion that could result in injury. While ligaments are slightly flexible to allow natural joint movement, they are strong enough to keep bones properly aligned during activity. A well-known example is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee, which helps control forward movement and rotation of the lower leg. Injuries such as sprains can damage ligaments and significantly reduce joint stability. Ligaments are essential for protecting joints and ensuring safe, controlled movement during sport and everyday physical activity.
What is cartilage?
Cartilage is a smooth, flexible type of connective tissue that plays a vital role in protecting and supporting joints throughout the body. It covers the ends of bones where they meet at joints, reducing friction and absorbing shock during movement. Unlike bone, cartilage does not have its own blood supply, which means it heals slowly when damaged. There are several types of cartilage, including hyaline cartilage found in joints, elastic cartilage found in the ear, and fibrocartilage found between the vertebrae in the spine. Cartilage is essential for smooth, pain-free joint movement and helps prevent bones from wearing down, particularly in high-impact areas like the knees, hips, and spine.
Describe the fascia
Fascia is a thin but strong layer of connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles, organs, blood vessels, and nerves throughout the body. It forms a web-like structure that helps hold these components in place while also separating different tissues. Fascia plays an important role in allowing muscles to glide smoothly over one another and in transmitting force during movement. It also contains sensory nerves and contributes to proprioception, which is the body’s ability to sense its position and movement. If fascia becomes tight, inflamed, or damaged, it can restrict movement and lead to pain or discomfort. Maintaining healthy fascia through regular stretching, movement, and proper hydration is essential for flexibility, mobility, and overall physical performance.
What are fibrous joints?
Fibrous joints are a type of joint where bones are tightly joined together by fibrous connective tissue, allowing little to no movement. These joints are built for strength and stability rather than mobility. A key example is the sutures in the skull, which fuse the bones securely to protect the brain. Unlike other types of joints, fibrous joints do not contain a joint cavity or cartilage between the bones. They are especially important in areas where movement is unnecessary but a strong, protective connection is vital. Because they are immovable or only slightly movable, fibrous joints play a crucial role in maintaining the body’s overall structure and integrity.
What are cartilaginous joints?
Cartilaginous joints are joints where bones are connected by cartilage, allowing a limited range of movement. These joints offer more flexibility than fibrous joints but are less mobile than synovial joints. A common example is the intervertebral discs between the vertebrae in the spine, which allow for slight bending and twisting while supporting the body’s weight. Another example is the joint between the ribs and the sternum, which provides both support and slight movement during breathing. Cartilaginous joints are designed to absorb shock and maintain stability while still allowing essential movement. They are especially important in areas of the body that require a balance between strength and flexibility.
What is the differences between adduction and abduction?
Adduction and abduction are two opposite types of limb movements that play a key role in human motion. Adduction refers to the movement of a limb toward the midline of the body, for example, lowering your arm back to your side after lifting it. In contrast, abduction is the movement of a limb away from the midline, such as lifting your arm out to the side. These movements commonly occur at ball-and-socket joints like the shoulder and hip, which allow a wide range of motion. Adduction brings body parts closer together, while abduction separates them. Understanding these terms is important for accurately describing movement patterns in both exercise and everyday activities.
Discuss rotation
Rotation is a type of movement where a bone or body part turns around its own axis. It can be classified as internal (medial) rotation, which moves a limb toward the body’s midline, or external (lateral) rotation, which moves it away from the midline. This movement is most commonly seen in ball-and-socket joints, such as the shoulder and hip, which allow for a wide range of rotational motion. A clear example is turning your head from side to side, which involves rotation of the neck. Rotation is essential in many everyday and sporting activities, such as swinging a bat, throwing, or turning during dance routines. It increases overall mobility and enables the body to move smoothly in multiple directions.
Discuss slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers
Slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibres are the two main types of muscle fibres, each adapted for different types of physical activity. Slow twitch fibres contract slowly and are highly efficient at using oxygen, making them ideal for endurance-based activities such as long-distance running, cycling, or swimming. They can sustain low-intensity movement for long periods without fatiguing quickly. In contrast, fast twitch fibres contract rapidly and generate powerful bursts of speed and strength, making them more suitable for high-intensity, short-duration activities like sprinting, jumping, or weightlifting. However, they fatigue more quickly because they rely mainly on anaerobic energy systems. Most muscles contain a combination of both fibre types, allowing the body to perform a wide range of movements and adapt to different sporting and daily activities.
What is muscular atrophy?
Muscular atrophy is the weakening and shrinking of muscle tissue due to a lack of regular use or stimulation. It often occurs during extended periods of inactivity, such as bed rest, injury recovery, or from certain medical conditions that limit movement. When muscles are not exercised, they begin to waste away over time, leading to reduced strength, size, and function. Atrophy can also result from nerve damage, which stops muscles from receiving the signals needed to contract. This condition can significantly impact a person’s ability to move and perform everyday tasks. However, regular exercise, movement, and physical therapy can help prevent or reduce the effects of muscular atrophy, supporting long-term muscle health and function.
What is the difference between hypertrophy and fibre hypertrophy?
Hypertrophy refers to the increase in the size of an organ or tissue caused by the enlargement of its cells. In terms of muscles, hypertrophy specifically describes the growth and thickening of muscle tissue. More precisely, fibre hypertrophy is the increase in the size of individual muscle fibres, which occurs as a result of strength training or resistance exercise. This process happens because the muscle fibres produce more protein filaments, making them thicker and stronger. Although hypertrophy can sometimes involve an increase in the number of muscle fibres, a process called hyperplasia that is less common, fibre hypertrophy mainly focuses on the enlargement of existing muscle fibres. Both forms of hypertrophy contribute to improvements in muscle strength and overall size.
How does isometric function?
Isometric exercise involves muscle contractions where the length of the muscle remains the same and there is no change in the joint angle. During these contractions, the muscle produces force without any visible movement of the body part. Examples of isometric exercises include pushing against a wall or holding a plank position. These types of exercises are effective for increasing muscle strength and stability while placing minimal stress on the joints. Isometric training is especially beneficial during rehabilitation or when movement is restricted. Additionally, it can help improve muscle endurance and maintain muscle tone.
How does isotonic function?
Isotonic exercise involves muscle contractions where the muscle changes length while moving a joint through its full range of motion. There are two main types of isotonic contractions: concentric, where the muscle shortens as it contracts, such as when lifting a dumbbell and eccentric, where the muscle lengthens while still contracting, like when lowering the dumbbell back down. These movements are important for building muscle strength and size, as well as improving joint flexibility. Isotonic exercises are commonly used in activities such as running, swimming, and weightlifting because they allow dynamic and functional movement. This type of training helps muscles work efficiently during everyday tasks and supports overall physical fitness.
How does concentric function?
Concentric contraction is a type of muscle action where the muscle shortens while generating force. This occurs when the muscle overcomes resistance, such as when lifting a weight during a bicep curl. During concentric contractions, the muscle fibres contract and pull closer together, causing the joint to move and producing movement. This type of contraction is essential for performing many everyday activities like standing up, climbing stairs, or jumping. Concentric contractions play a key role in building muscle strength and power. They often work together with eccentric contractions during normal movements and exercise routines to control and produce effective motion.
How does eccentric function?
Eccentric contraction is a type of muscle action where the muscle lengthens while still producing force. This occurs when the muscle is controlling or resisting a load, such as when you slowly lower a dumbbell during a bicep curl. Eccentric contractions are important for controlling movement and helping the body slow down safely, which reduces the risk of injury. They are commonly used in actions like walking downhill, lowering into a chair, or landing from a jump. Eccentric training can improve muscle strength, enhance flexibility, and develop better control in movement. This type of contraction often causes more muscle soreness after exercise compared to concentric contractions, due to the increased strain on the muscle fibres.
How does isokinetic function?
Isokinetic exercise involves muscle contractions where the muscle changes length at a constant speed throughout the entire movement. This is achieved using specialised machines that control the speed, ensuring it stays the same regardless of how much force the muscle applies. As a result, the muscle can work at maximum effort through the full range of motion without sudden changes in speed. Isokinetic training is commonly used in rehabilitation settings because it safely builds strength and improves muscle balance. Since the movement is controlled and matched to the user’s effort, the risk of injury is reduced. These exercises are highly effective for developing both muscle strength and endurance in a controlled and safe environment.
Explain the differences between agonist and antagonist and provide an example of a movement
Agonist and antagonist muscles work together in pairs to produce smooth and controlled movement. The agonist is the main muscle responsible for creating a specific movement by contracting, while the antagonist muscle relaxes and lengthens to allow that movement to happen. For example, during a bicep curl, the biceps are the agonist as they contract to lift the forearm, while the triceps act as the antagonist by relaxing. When lowering the arm, the roles reverse, the triceps become the agonist, and the biceps become the antagonist. This coordinated relationship between agonist and antagonist muscles is essential for balanced and efficient movement in both sport and daily activities.
